Get The Girl
by Lady Dudley
Summary: Re-write of the final scene of the series, plus a little bit extra. Or, Sidney realises he's an idiot and makes things right.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I have recently been watching _Sanditon_ and this little idea wouldn't leave me alone. Basically, it takes a slight detour from that final scene on the cliffs. Mostly because I wanted to bring back "I do not think of you at all" ;) Title is from "That's How You Get The Girl" by Taylor Swift, which also partly inspired this fic and is quoted at the start of both chapters. You may also recognise a few lines/inspirations drawn from other Jane Austen works and also the _Sound of Music_. Anyways, hope you enjoy it :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_**Get The Girl**_

...  
_Tell her how you must've lost your mind_  
_When you left her all alone and never told her why  
__And that's how it works_  
_That's how you lost the girl  
..._

"_Tell me you don't think too badly of me."_

It had been on the tip of her tongue to pretend that it was fine, to smile and assure him that she understood. This could well be the last time she ever saw him, or at least the last time that they could be honest with each other, and she wanted so desperately to ease his suffering. To assure him that, though she still loved him, it was fine. _She_ was fine.

But in a startling moment of clarity she realised that such assurances would do neither of them any good. If they were only to meet as common and indifferent acquaintances for ever after then it would be best to start now.

So instead she ignored the tears blurring her vision and gave him a forced, brittle smile. "But I do not think of you at all, Mr Parker," she replied, trying to keep her tone light or, at the very least, neutral.

Mindful that she could not keep up the façade of indifference for long, she took advantage of his momentary shock to make a half curtsy and disappear into the carriage.

She willed herself not to look back.

If she had truly intended this to be a final meeting between them, her actions had the complete opposite effect on the man in question. Sidney Parker had had his own moment of clarity and in it he had seen a Charlotte Heywood who no longer wore her heart on her sleeve. Her answer showed him how she would repeat his mistakes: that she would harden her heart and make herself hard in the process.

And Charlotte Heywood – _his _Charlotte Heywood – was not hard or fragile or…_hurt_, she was soft and kind and full of life.

He could not do this to her.

If it had only been his own happiness at stake, it would not signify but he would be damned if he broke her even more than he already had.

Vaulting onto his horse, Sidney galloped back towards Sanditon.

"Tom, you know I love you and that I will do anything for you," he began without preamble, bursting into his brother's study, "but I will not sacrifice Miss Heywood."

Tom blinked at him in surprise, "Charlotte? What has she do with any of this?"

"She is my match and better half, as surely as Mary is yours," Sidney avowed with quiet conviction. "This will break her heart and I can not – I _will not_ – do it. Not even for you," he added his tone and stance taking on a stubborn, dangerous edge.

"And I would never ask you to," Tom replied, looking askance. "Sidney, I would never want you to sacrifice your – or anyone else's – happiness," he added earnestly, "not even for Sanditon."

Sidney raised an eyebrow and Tom had to grace to look a little ashamed of himself.

"I confess I was willing not to look _too_ closely at a situation that was so advantageous to myself," he admitted ruefully, "but I can not ask you to do this for me," he added, meeting Sidney's eye. "I am touched that you would even consider doing so but, my dear brother, do not give me the grief of making my dreams come true at the expense of yours." He paused, "I have been selfish and single-minded in my pursuit of success, but even I baulk at this," he continued with a self-deprecating smile.

"You are a good man, Tom, and I will do everything in my power to help you," Sidney promised, "just…not this."

"You are the best of brothers, Sidney," Tom said quietly, "and I will not forget what you considered doing for me."

In a rare display of the deep, brotherly affection that existed between them, the two men hugged.

"I must see Mrs Campion," Sidney said with a grimace as they broke apart.

Tom winced in sympathy, "I'll have the brandy waiting."


	2. Chapter 2

...

_And now you say_  
_I want you for worse or for better_  
_I would wait for ever and ever _  
_Broke your heart, I'll put it back together_  
_I would wait for ever and ever_  
...

In hindsight, it should not have surprised Sidney that of all the difficult conversations he had been through over the last fortnight, his conversation with Charlotte would be the hardest. He had been with her for over half an hour and had yet to move beyond commonplace trivialities.

Matters were not helped by the fact that for the first time in a very long while she did not look pleased to see him. Worse – to Sidney's mind at least – was that she did not look happy _at all._

An irrepressible, spirited Charlotte he could handle, no matter how much she might unsettle him – even pleasantly so – but a listless, subdued Charlotte was something else entirely.

But what hurt the most was how hard she was obviously forcing herself to appear unchanged: behind her rather wane smile the sparkle and fire was gone.

Frankly, he'd rather that she threw the contents of the tea cup in his face rather than docilely pass it to him. Especially as she took care to ensure that their hands did not touch.

"Your family are in good health, I trust?" he asked, continuing their stilted pleasantries even as he silently congratulated himself on finding most of the family were away from home.

"They are all in excellent health, thank you," Charlotte replied politely.

"And how are you?" he asked quietly, regarding her closely.

"I am in good health, sir," she replied softly, not meeting his gaze.

"But not in good spirits, I think," he commented with a frown.

Charlotte's eyes met his briefly in alarm, "Please…" she murmured, her voice low with suppressed emotion as she looked away, "Mr Parker, let me be."

"I will not seek you out again, if that is your wish," he promised, watching as she furiously blinked back tears, "but I beg you – hear me out first. Please," he added, pleased to have finally come to the point.

Charlotte's jaw tightened, "How is Mrs Campion?" she asked, looking up at him with something like a challenge in her tone.

"I neither know nor care," he replied, partly without thinking and partly to get a rise out of her.

"Mr Parker!" she gasped in shock.

"She left Sanditon a few days ago and we have no plans to meet again in the future," Sidney explained, "Mrs Campion is gone, Charlotte," he told her seriously.

Charlotte stood up abruptly and moved to the window, "Gone?" she asked, her back to him.

"Gone," he confirmed, unsure whether to follow her.

"But what of your engagement?" she asked after a moment, turning to face him, "What of Sanditon?"

"Sanditon will rise or fall on its own merits, Tom and I have agreed on a more…suitable course of action in that quarter," he explained, setting aside his tea cup, "As for my engagement…" he trailed off as he stood and joined her at the window.

"Yes?" she prompted, without quite meeting his eye.

"Well, you can't marry someone when you're in love with someone else," he explained in a low tone, "don't you think?" he added, cocking his head to the side.

Charlotte looked up at him with wide eyes, looking far too vulnerable for his liking, "I find…I don't know what to think," she replied carefully.

"I asked you once not to think _too _badly of me," Sidney reminded her, "I presume to ask you to do so again."

Charlotte looked down, "I have not…_thought badly_ of you for some time, Mr Parker," she confessed.

"Sidney, if you please," he told her, ducking his head in an attempt to catch her eye.

To his surprised, Charlotte flinched and moved away, "I can not."

"Why?" he asked helplessly as she turned her back on him.

"Because I could not…I can not bear…" she stammered, wringing her hands anxiously.

"I am not leaving you again, Miss Heywood, not unless _you_ wish me to," Sidney promised, taking a step towards her, "I am yours, if you will have me?" he added as she turned to face him.

"Oh, _Sidney_," she whispered as she struggled to contain her tears.

"Is that a yes?" Sidney asked as he took another step towards her.

She nodded wordlessly as she burst into tears and, unable to help himself, Sidney gathered her in his arms.

"I know that I do not deserve you, Charlotte," he murmured against her hair, "I never could. But I promise that I will do my best to atone for all that I have done," he pulled back slightly to look her in the eye, "to make up for all the pain that I have caused you."

He hesitated briefly before kissing her softly on the forehead. "I love you," he murmured as he pulled away.

Charlotte smiled softly through her tears, "I love you too."


End file.
